Bago rice yield drops due to rainy weather

Bago rice yield drops due to rainy weather

BACOLOD. An aerial view of the Bantayan Park in Bago City, which has been opened to private sector development to become the southern Negros city’s new tourism and commercial growth area. (Contributed Photo)

BAGO City Mayor Nicholas Yulo said Monday, February 19, the city’s rice production slightly decreased during the final months of 2017 until the first two months this year because of the rainy weather.

Yulo added that there is tightness in rice supply because the National Food Authority is buying palay below the buying price of commercial traders of P22 per kilo.

The mayor said he cannot quantify the drop in production, but said it's not that much.

Yulo also said that he supports the call of Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. for rice farmers to practice mechanization because right now there is already shortage of farm laborers.

The shortage is due to the fact that several farmers have already professional children and improved their standard of living, he added.

Another factor is the construction boom happening everywhere in the province.

“Bigger pay is given to construction workers which they cannot have as farm laborers,” Yulo said.

“We have to mechanize and adopt to the times and the way is to modernize and mechanize,” he added.

The mayor also said they already have a number of farmers who invest on machineries especially the rice harvester because they have realized that they could save a lot in mechanization compared to traditional farming.

Bago City capped its 52nd Charter Day Monday, focusing on the local farmers since the city is dependent on agriculture.

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